GW2Build

The Soldier (WvW)

Description

The Soldier, an introduction.

Everyone looks at the classes of the game to either be support, or burst dps. I look at my guardian and see neither. I am pretty tanky, with a lot of options for all-round WvW groupfighting.

Weapon choices! 2 handers all the way!

Due to Honor IX (20% less cooldown on 2 handed abilities) I went with greatsword and hammer.

I mostly use the hammer, combining the 1 combo with the mighty blow(2) to produce an 'area retaliation' combo for my party. This heals me with the Altruistic Healing trait, also.

Greatsword is a fine choice for chasing, and using it's whirl combos to remove conditions from nearby allies during ranged teamfights while also chaining enemies in with binding blade(5).

Sigil choices were Superior Sigil of Hydromancy on the hammer, and Superior Sigil of Accuracy on the GS.

Armor choice.

I collected armor with a weighting of power > toughness > vitality. I found that the chest and boots from outside Arah (Whispering set), the shoulders, leggings, and gloves from the Cathedral of Verdance (Melandru set) and the helm from either explore mode HotW or 330 WvW badges of honor were all stacked with these 3 stats. Using the Retributive Armor trait, my precision did not fall especially short.

For rune choices, I went with Superior Runes of the Soldier, as all of my utilities are shouts and the 6 piece condition removal is really nice for your allies which don't have the condition removal of a guardian.

Skill choices.

For Utilities, I went with shouts. I like shouts because they are not on a global cooldown, and can be used while channeling something else, such as the wind up for the hammer 1 combo third hit, and while stabbing a downed foe into oblivion.

Stand your Ground - Great for providing that stability to stop enemies from stalling your channeled finishing blow, and the retaliation stacks with most of your others to make those glass cannon builds cry.

Hold the Line - Great for all-round use on cooldown. Who doesn't love some damage reduction and a minor regeneration? Many people like 'Save yourselves' in this spot, but I find that in wvw, supporting your team is far more effective than empowering yourself, especially since our damage isn't really much to write home about, and you can get some nasty conditions!

Retreat! - Free Aegis for your team + 20 seconds of swiftness is amazing when the enemy is routed to clean them up, or just for getting around those huge WvW maps.

All shouts remove conditions from allies with the 6/6 Superior Rune of the Soldier bonus! Synergy!

Elite skill choice was Tome of Wrath. You're a moving catapult that gives your friends quickness for 20 seconds...way better than tome of courage with the power based stat spread.

Trait choices

10 in Radiance for 100 Precision, 100 Condition damage, a blind when activating Virtue of Justice from the minor trait, and 20% cooldown on the Signet of Resolve from Signet Mastery (obviously everyone's choice of healing abilities, just look at the numbers).

30 in Valor, 300 toughness and 30% crit damage! Taking Purity for condition removal, Retributive Armor which results in approx 100 Precision in my current gear, and Altruistic Healing, which has great synergy with both my shouts, and the Empowering Might trait in the next line. The minor traits have a little synergy, granting me more aegis and more might from aegis removal.

30 in Honor, 300 vitality and 300 healing power to make that signet, altruistic healing and hold the line even stronger. The Minor traits have great synergy, I usually evade around in my group shouting during ranged fights, and pick off overextenders or lead a flank attack. The evades heal nearby friends, and evading a little forward, binding an enemy back to us, and locking him down with the hammer usually results in a dead enemy. Major traits include Superior aria for more shouting, two handed mastery for more smashing, and empowering might, so when I crit I give nearby allies might, heal myself, and get vigor. I didn't have to pump precision on my armor due to the retributive armor trait and emerald jewelry.

Playstyle

You're a people person, play with people! Find me on Isle of Janthir, the name is Silborn [Hero]